Putting green



July23,1929-. j g- 1,722,028

PUTTING GREEN Filed July 12, 1926 IIIII' Hanan? 11,5

Patented July 23, 1929.

UMTE' stares HOW'ARD E. BAACK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB TO PATENT ENGINEERING GOM- PANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

1 PUTTING GREEN.

Application filed July 12, 1926. Serial No. 121,870.

This invention relates in general to indoor games and more particularly to a game simulating a golf putting green designed to be employed with clubs and golf balls.

The invention has for its object the provision of a mechanism for practicing putting, which will at the same time afford sufiicient amusement to stimulate practice.

Another object of the invention is an improved parlor game designed to employ as part of its equipment the clubs and balls usually employed with golf.

An article made in accordance with the present invention comprises a frame provided with means for holding it at an angle from the floor and having a plurality of holes therein spaced in a predetermined manner. Means is also provided whereby when a golf ball is shot or putted into one of the holes it will be discharged onto the floor or a suitably provided receptacle.

The other'equipment employed is a plurality of golf balls and the usual golf putters or other clubs fashionedin substantially the same manner. The equipment is employed in substantially the same manner as when at tempting to sink a putt on a regular golf course,but is so arranged that a number of novel and interesting competitive games may be worked out to stimulate interest in the putting.

The invention will be more fully understood from a consideration of the following detailed description, taken with the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1- is a front view of the puttlng green; 7 Y

Figure 2 is a rear view thereof;

Figure 3 is a side view thereof, and I Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 1, showing the arrangement of felt around the holes.

As outlined in the above preliminary description of the game, the usual balls and clubs which are employed in golf may be used. The present invention refers to a novel device which for descriptive purposes I term a putting green] A description of the ,putting green is necessary before the details of the games played therewith may be understood. r

The putting green comprises a flat section 10 constituting a plane surface, preferably formed of sheet metal and having three rows of holes designated 11, 12r12, and 13-13 respectively. The section 10 has a lower edge 14 bent out of the plane of'the main portion j a boX-like portion designated 16, SillfLbOX- like portion having sufficient depth to readily accommodate the ordinary golf ball and communicating with each one of the holes in' the section 10.

At the bottom of the oval portion 16 is a chute 17 communicating therewith. The chute 17 has a very slight slant so that golf balls falling through the holes in the section 10 and into the oval portion 16 Will roll with very slight force down the chute 17 and be discharged upon the floor or a suitably provided receptacle (not shown);

Suitably hinged at the back of the putting green is a supporting member 18, and I provide any, suitablermeans such as a thumb nut 19 whereby when the support 18 is placed at a suitable angle it may be firmly secured at such angle; Underneath thesupport 18 I provide a thick section of felt 20 to prevent possible injury to the back of the putting green.

The entire front of the section 10 and all of the inside of the oval portion 16 are preferably covered with a sound-deadening material, such as felt. In actual practice I have employed a good grade of green felt, thus simulating the color of the usual out-door putting green, and at the same time furnishing substantially the right roll for the balls. If a hard material suchas wood or metal were employed the balls would roll too quickly and have a tendency to bounce too much, whereas if a softer material such as knitted goods or the equivalent should be placed on the putting green, the action of the balls would be deadening. I have found that a good grade of felt tends to cause a very proper behavior of the balls.

In making the felt for the flat section of material I have found that I can allow about onequarter GA inch of felt to project over the edges of the holes. This projecting portion can then be pushed down mechanically and will remain at substantially right angles to the main portion of the felt, and have the effect of entirely preventing the possibility of exposing the edges of the metal or other material in the region of the holes. The pro,

out a number of games, two of Which I have termed Rug golf and Putt-lt-in" respec-,

tively. Sample rules which I have made for these two gamesare as follows:

RULES or RUG com. The afterdim'rer game,

No limit tonumber of players,

Players draw lots to determine order in which each will, play,

On a line ten feet from rug pla' 'er places six golf balls in a row. 7 tance between balls should average tWo to three inches.

Player starts at end or" row and shoots each oi six balls before next player shoots.

Player is allowed but one shot at each of the six balls played during each round.

During entire game each player n turn shoots six rounds of six balls or 36 balls during game. 1 Y

Record of all playersscores are kcpt and player having highest score at end or sixth golf green,- first round is Winner.

In the game of rug golf strokes are not counted.

lVinner is determined entirely on basis of score value of holes in which balls are sunk as shown on chart below.

Chart 0 f course.

If potted into this Little 0 ,12 i th 0, 0 1t scales 2:).

If Jut ed into one 0' e o Big ten holes a (intermediate) P f If potted into one of these '0' 0 it Scores 5 Grand Canyon holes (large) or PUTT-IT-iN. V The game for the happy crowd.

No limit to number of players,

Players draw lots to determine order which each will play,

Only one ball is used. 4

Players places ball for first shot ten feet from putt-it-in green.

. considered. in the bunker and each stroke positions on Which Disnecessary to brin ball back into putting position is counted. 1 Every stroke taken by player is counted and when player holesrout add to number of 07m: 0 f course.

If sunk in this Birdie, hole (ggqn) add 2 strokes. It sunk in any one of these 0 0 n Irl'ar holes (intcrlnodiaio) l 3 I sun in any one of thesev O a Y 110103 marge) add tstiolresa (The holes are shown in substantially the they appear on thepu tin;

1 games may be Worked out of the putting green employed :for practice only, without any cornpet' "ive-ioature. 7 7

'reen.)

lit Wlll be noted that the'holcs in the three rows, namely, upper, intermediate and lower rows are of different size, the upper hole WlnchI term.L1ttle Joe or the birdie hole is the smallest hole, and in a puttinggreen made in accordance Withthe invention which- I have used in actual practice is tWo and seven-eighths (2 inches in diameter On the same putting green, the intermediate holes, the big ten or par holes, are three and one-quarter (3 4) inches 1n diameteryand the lower or larger holes, the Grand Canyon or bogey holes, three and tlireequar is obvious, hmvever, that other types til sions maybe employed While still maintain- I ing the graduation in sizes.

The dil'l'erence in the value of the holes is determined not only by the size of the holes" but also by their location on the green, it bemg apparent that it is more difiicult to sink a putt in the upper hole than in the lower holes, 1 and more dr'llicu t'to sink a putt 1n one of the intermediate holes than in the very lowest holes. To reach the birdie hole the player must make the ball pass right between the two largest holes, thereby running intodanger of dropping the ball into one of these holes. At the same time, he must hit the ball harder to cause it to travel all the Way up on the green and when hitting it in this Way, it is rather easy to hit the ball too hard and cause it to stril'co'the edge of one of the holes and bound to the side or in back of the putting green.

The arrangement of the greens in this man-1 neran'd the graduation insizes makes it possible for a player to elect the manner in Which he will play the game, depending on the score playing a possible dog-leg in which he has two easy drives which Will not lead him into trouble. It is situations such as these that makes the game of golf so interesting, and it will be seen that the same matter of choice may be had with a putting green constructed in accordance with my invention.

Although I have explained the details of my invention rather fully in order to simplify an understanding of the same, it is obvious that I do not Wish to be bound by this specific arrangement since the grouping and size of the holes and many other structural details may be modified Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim 1. A putting green comprising a fiat section of material, With holes therein and a sheet of felt thereon, there being holes in the felt registering with the holes in said flat section of material, and means for supporting said flat section of material at a predetermined angle,

the holes in the felt being'cut smaller than the holes in the fiat section of material, and being member disposed on the underside of said plane to receive any balls passing through said holes, a spout communicating With said member to direct the return of the balls received by said member from all of said holes, means for maintaining said plane in an inclined position so that an edge thereof Will merge With a flatputting surface, and a felt covering for said plane and interior of said member. I

HOWARD E. BAACK. 

